Untersuchungen Über faktoren,die sich bei folgekultivierung der pflanzen geltend machen

V práci byla sledována mo?nost allelopatického ovlivňování následných rostlin p?edplodinami p?i kultivaoi v odstupňovaných ?asových intervalech po sobě v té?e zemině u tě chto kombinací: mák — cukrovka, ho??ice — je?men, konopí — ?ito, cibule — ?epka. Pokusy byly prováděny v kvítiná?ích s kompostovou zeminou, umístěných během pokusu na zahradě a zapu? těných do p?dy. Byl sledován r?st p?edplodin a následných rostlin v po?áte?ních fá zích r?stu. P?ed vysetím následných rostlin byla stanovena u odebraných vzork? zemin intensita respirace, okam?itá vlhkost a obsah fyziologicky p?ístupného dusíku, fosforu a draslíku. Ve v?ech zkou?ených kombinacích byly následné rostliny ovlivněny kultivací p?edplodiny a následným ulo?ením zeminy. Změny r?stu následných rostlin ?áste? ně korelovaly s obsahem fyziologicky p?ístupného dusíku v zemině. Podle jejich charakteru v?ak bylo té? patrno, ?e se na nich podílely i allelopatické faktory. Zna?ně inhibi?ně p?sobil mák na cukrovku, mé ně inhibi?ně p?sobila ho??ice na je?men a cibule na ?epku. ??inek konopí na ?ito byl promě nný s dobou ulo?ení zeminy. Změny v obsahu fyziologicky p?ístupného dusíku, fosforu a draslíku v pokusné zemině neodpovídaly . mno?ství narostlé p?edplodiny, co? bylo podmíněno pou?itou kultiva?ní metodikou. Poměrně rychlé doplňování p?edplodinou vy?erpaných dusi?nan? v pokusné zemině s dobou jejího ulo?ení bylo pravděpodobně podmíněno nitrifikacními procesy. Podle stanovených změn intensity respirace pokusné zeminy se na allelopatickém ovlivnění mohla podílet i pudní mikroflora.     

Convenient Assay for Staphylococcal Nuclease by the Metachromatic Well-Agar-Diffusion Technique

The metachromatic agar-diffusion (MAD) microslide technique was adapted for quantitative assay for staphylococcal thermonuclease in heterogeneous systems, such as milk and broth. When an enzyme-containing solution was placed in a well cut in the agar, a bright pink halo was obtained. The diameter of the pink zone of hydrolysis was related to time and temperature of incubation and to nuclease concentration. Concentrations of nuclease as low as 0.005 mug/ml and as high as 2.0 mug/ml were conveniently determined after 3 hr at 37 C.     

Definition and Distribution Analysis of Glycoprotein B Gene Alleles of Human Herpesvirus 7

As for other herpesviruses, glycoprotein B (gB) of human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) is believed to play a major role in virus infection and as a target of the host immunogenic response. Using nested PCR, we amplified the whole HHV-7 gB gene from 108 human peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples and studied its variability. By means of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis, three distinct patterns, designated I, II, and III, were defined and detected at frequencies of 93, 5, and 2%, respectively. Determination of the nucleotide sequence allowed us to recognize five critical positions in the gB gene with six specific combinations of point changes at these positions. These combinations were gB alleles A, B, C, D, E, and F. Alleles D and E corresponded to RFLP patterns II and III, respectively, while the other four alleles corresponded to RFLP pattern I. Identical gB alleles were detected in serial samples as well as in paired samples of blood and saliva from the same individuals, except for one case. In contrast, the distribution of gB alleles differed according to the geographical origin of the human samples: C was the most frequent allele in both African and Caribbean samples, whereas F was the most frequent allele in European ones. Although none of the allele-specific nucleotide changes induced any modification at the protein level, the definition of gB alleles provided convenient viral markers for the study of both HHV-7 infections and human population genetics.     

HOLOKINETIC DRIVE: CENTROMERE DRIVE IN CHROMOSOMES WITHOUT CENTROMERES

Similar to how the model of centromere drive explains the size and complexity of centromeres in monocentrics (organisms with localized centromeres), our model of holokinetic drive is consistent with the divergent evolution of chromosomal size and number in holocentrics (organisms with nonlocalized centromeres) exhibiting holokinetic meiosis (holokinetics). Holokinetic drive is proposed to facilitate chromosomal fission and/or repetitive DNA removal (or any segmental deletion) when smaller homologous chromosomes are preferentially inherited or chromosomal fusion and/or repetitive DNA proliferation (or any segmental duplication) when larger homologs are preferred. The hypothesis of holokinetic drive is supported primarily by the negative correlation between chromosome number and genome size that is documented in holokinetic lineages. The supporting value of two older cross‐experiments on holokinetic structural heterozygotes (the rush Luzula elegans and butterflies of the genus Antheraea) that indicate the presence of size‐preferential homolog transmission via female meiosis for holokinetic drive is discussed, along with the further potential consequences of holokinetic drive in comparison with centromere drive.     

Changes of intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma in relation to the passage of atmospheric fronts and environmental contamination

Effects of atmospheric frontal passages on intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma are statistically investigated to show the meteorotropism of this disease. Changes in IOP caused by frontal passages are evident; the response is not identical in all the patients near the day of the passage of a warm front, while on the third day following the passage of the front a well pronounced drop in IOP occurs. Anomalous increases of IOP over several months' duration occurred in the years 1986–7. This finding is explained in relation to the hypothesis of environmental contamination in Central Europe by radioactive cesium nuclides due to the Chernobyl accident.     

Microbial Environment Affects Innate Immunity in Two Closely Related Earthworm Species Eisenia andrei and Eisenia fetida

Survival of earthworms in the environment depends on their ability to recognize and eliminate potential pathogens. This work is aimed to compare the innate defense mechanisms of two closely related earthworm species, Eisenia andrei and Eisenia fetida, that inhabit substantially different ecological niches. While E. andrei lives in a compost and manure, E. fetida can be found in the litter layer in forests. Therefore, the influence of environment-specific microbiota on the immune response of both species was followed. Firstly, a reliable method to discern between E. andrei and E. fetida based on species-specific primers for cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) and stringent PCR conditions was developed. Secondly, to analyze the immunological profile in both earthworm species, the activity and expression of lysozyme, pattern recognition protein CCF, and antimicrobial proteins with hemolytic function, fetidin and lysenins, have been assessed. Whereas, CCF and lysozyme showed only slight differences in the expression and activity, fetidin/lysenins expression as well as the hemolytic activity was considerably higher in E. andrei as compared to E. fetida. The expression of fetidin/lysenins in E. fetida was not affected upon the challenge with compost microbiota, suggesting more substantial changes in the regulation of the gene expression. Genomic DNA analyses revealed significantly higher level of fetidin/lysenins (determined using universal primer pairs) in E. andrei compared to E. fetida. It can be hypothesized that E. andrei colonizing compost as a new habitat acquired an evolutionary selection advantage resulting in a higher expression of antimicrobial proteins.